In the developed world the importance of having access to clean drinking water is often overlooked. In “Why Sewers Should EXCITE Us,” an excerpt taken from his essay “We’re All Downstream,” published in Blue Planet Run, Michael Specter argues that poverty causes the problem of inadequate access to clean drinking water around the world. This problem not only cause widespread health concerns, but as Specter points out, “the tragedy is not just one of illness, it’s also the devastating loss of human productivity.” Specter’s argument uses logical and emotional appeals to successfully convince his audience of the seriousness of the problem and motivate them to take action.
Specter begins his essay with a compelling and bold claim about value …show more content…
While some may point to other scientific advancements as the pinnacle of human healthcare, those who read his essay in Blue Planet Run, already have an understanding of the importance of water and share his passion for water conservation. Specter’s understanding of his target audience allows him to write in an extravagant tone in order to build support for water rights around the world.
Specter uses appeals to logic to show his audience that there is a global problem with inadequate access to drinking water. Using statistics to show just how wide spread the problem is, he writes, “Nearly half of the people on Earth fail to receive the level of water services available 2,000 years ago to citizens of ancient Rome.” This figure shows …show more content…
He tells the readers, “Studies show that access to piped water and sewers can, in many places, eliminate waterborne disease at a cost of less than $1,000 per death averted.” This allows Specter to show his audience that there is a solution to the problem, and to show the solution in a way that enables his audience to make a difference. He could have stated the grand total, which would have been in the millions, but that would have built a disconnect between his audience and the solution. When it looks like something will cost millions of dollars to fix the reader feels like they cannot help because they don’t have that kind of money. However, Specter writes a more tangible amount which allows readers to feel as if they can make a difference. He builds on the original statement by continuing, “A THOUSAND DOLLARS. What is a life worth?…What would it take to convince the rich world to spend enough so that African children no longer die of illnesses that some of us don’t even realize still exist?” Specters use of rhetorical questions helps build an emotional appeal to his audience. Forcing his readers to think about the value they put on another person’s life helps instill a sense of sorrow and passion to give. With the solution broken down into a more tangible dollar amount
Specter begins his essay with a compelling and bold claim about value …show more content…
While some may point to other scientific advancements as the pinnacle of human healthcare, those who read his essay in Blue Planet Run, already have an understanding of the importance of water and share his passion for water conservation. Specter’s understanding of his target audience allows him to write in an extravagant tone in order to build support for water rights around the world.
Specter uses appeals to logic to show his audience that there is a global problem with inadequate access to drinking water. Using statistics to show just how wide spread the problem is, he writes, “Nearly half of the people on Earth fail to receive the level of water services available 2,000 years ago to citizens of ancient Rome.” This figure shows …show more content…
He tells the readers, “Studies show that access to piped water and sewers can, in many places, eliminate waterborne disease at a cost of less than $1,000 per death averted.” This allows Specter to show his audience that there is a solution to the problem, and to show the solution in a way that enables his audience to make a difference. He could have stated the grand total, which would have been in the millions, but that would have built a disconnect between his audience and the solution. When it looks like something will cost millions of dollars to fix the reader feels like they cannot help because they don’t have that kind of money. However, Specter writes a more tangible amount which allows readers to feel as if they can make a difference. He builds on the original statement by continuing, “A THOUSAND DOLLARS. What is a life worth?…What would it take to convince the rich world to spend enough so that African children no longer die of illnesses that some of us don’t even realize still exist?” Specters use of rhetorical questions helps build an emotional appeal to his audience. Forcing his readers to think about the value they put on another person’s life helps instill a sense of sorrow and passion to give. With the solution broken down into a more tangible dollar amount